While every bee contributes to pollinating our crops and countryside, they are far from all the same. Recognising the difference between species like solitary bees, bumblebees, and honeybees is key, as each requires tailored conservation support to thrive.

But could you spot the difference between the pollinators visiting your garden? To help people recognise and protect these vital insects, Flying Flowers has launched a new initiative, shining a spotlight on the challenges facing Britain’s wild bees and encouraging everyday gardeners to help every species thrive.

Making up 90% of Britain’s bees, the UK’s 260-plus solitary species are far more diverse than most people realise. However, these vital pollinators face growing pressures, with vulnerable varieties like the Wall Mason Bee now classified as rare on the UK Red List. You can identify solitary bees by several key traits and distinct markings:

Solitary nesting: Instead of living in social hives, individuals nest alone in ground burrows or small wall cracks.

Warm orange-brown fur: A signature trait of a common species like the Red Mason Bee.

Striking jet-black and white bands: The bold, distinct markings characteristic of the Ashy Mining Bee.

Declining habitats are making it harder for solitary bees to find adequate food and undisturbed nesting areas. Building or installing bee hotels offer a simple, effective solution. These compact wooden shelters filled with hollow canes give female bees a secure location to nest and lay eggs.

With their round, furry bodies, bumblebees are a familiar sight buzzing around lavender and summer garden flowers, helping fruit, vegetables, and wildflowers flourish. However, many species are struggling, with the Red-tailed Bumblebee seeing an alarming 74% drop in numbers in 2024, making it crucial to leave any nests undisturbed if you spot them:

Sheltered nesting: Compost heaps, bird boxes, or beneath decking are popular spots for bumblebees to create their nests.

Small details: While most bumblebees feature classic yellow and black stripes, species like the White-tailed Bumblebee stand out with a distinct white tip.

Planting patches of bee-friendly blooms, like crocuses, foxgloves, and honeysuckle, helps restore lost habitats and directly counters the decline of local bumblebee populations.

Lastly, honeybees are smaller than bumblebees, often mistaken for wasps due to their sleek shape. Facing threats like habitat loss and invasive Asian hornets, wild honeybee colonies have sharply declined, meaning most honeybees in the UK today are carefully tended by managed beekeepers:

Distinct shape: Honeybees are less fuzzy and feature slender, golden-brown bodies and bent antennae.

Calm demeanor: Despite being mistaken for wasps, you can easily tell them apart by a honeybee’s gentle behaviour.

Spotting and reporting invasive Asian hornets early gives wildlife teams the best chance to find and remove their nests before they can spread. Acting quickly stops these destructive predators from wiping out managed beehives, keeping local wild spaces thriving.

Beekeeper and BBKA (British Beekeepers’ Association) member, Donya Donger, said: “Every bee type has completely different nesting habits, foraging preferences, and environmental threats, so it is vital that we recognise different species in order to protect them. Learning to tell them apart allows everyday gardeners to most past generic fixes and offer the exact flowers, nesting habitats, and protection each unique pollinator needs to thrive.

Eleanor Agnew, pollinator expert at Flying Flowers, added: “The rise in threats like Asian hornets and loss of wildflowers is a serious concern for Britain’s pollinators. Bees play a vital role in our ecosystems, supporting the plants, crops and wildlife that depend on them. Being able to identify a solitary bee from a honey bee is a small but mighty step towards hopefully reducing the number of colony losses we are seeing across the country.”

Flying Flowers has created The Department for Pollination to build a Wild Square Challenge, urging households, gardeners and communities to help protect Britain’s bees by creating pollinator-friendly spaces and remaining vigilant for predators.